Vintage Coffee Bar in York Supports Alzheimer's Sufferers

A pop up vintage rock’n’roll coffee bar is being organised by Alzheimer’s Society in York as part of Dementia Awareness Week.

Cakes and home baked scones with clotted cream will be served by helpers in vintage dress while bone china crockery will be pressed into service for the occasion.

Julie Lee Alzheimer’s Society York Community Fundraiser said:

‘We hope lots of people will drop by on the day, enjoy a cuppa and a cake and take the opportunity to help us raise funds for services vital to local people.

‘It’s important for us to also raise awareness of dementia and we will have someone on hand to provide information and help.’

As part of the coffee bar, from 10am to 4pm on Wednesday, May 22, in Parliament Street, there will be rock’n’roll DJs and dancing lessons alongside classic 50s songs like ‘Que Sera Sera’ provided by a ‘flash mob’ - the Society’s York Singing for the Brain Group.

Tony Neal, a former Minster chorister, is now 70 and goes to the Alzheimer’s Society Singing for the Brain group in York with his wife Jenny who has dementia and who he looks after 24-hours a day. He will be taking part in the performances.

He said:

‘Singing always brings out the best in people and puts a smile on everyone’s face. It’s like chocolate, it makes you happy. It makes Jenny happy and it brings back memories.’

Hudda Morgan, a partner in Harrowells Solicitors, York, who are sponsoring the event, said:

‘We wanted to support the work the Alzheimer’s Society is doing to increase awareness of dementia and help people in York through the services it offers, as well as raising money for research into the disease.

‘Quite a lot of what we do involves helping families and we have direct experience of the challenges people face. We can see that dementia is an issue that should be given far more attention than it has received in the past.’